DƆNÙESÈ Data Center / Women’s Rights Laws by Country / Burundi
Central Africa · Country law profile
Burundi: women’s rights and civic space laws
Burundi has signed but not ratified the Maputo Protocol, and the 1993 Code of Persons and the Family sets an unequal marriage age (18 for girls, 21 for boys) with waivers below 18. Electoral law reserves a share of candidacies for women and co-opts extra members when targets are missed, and women hold 39.6% of National Assembly seats after the June 2025 elections. Article 590 of the Penal Code criminalises same-sex relations. Civic space is severely restricted: the ruling party won every parliamentary seat in 2025, most human rights organisations operate in exile, and journalists remain imprisoned.
At a glance
| Capital | Gitega (political capital); Bujumbura (economic capital) |
|---|---|
| Legal system | Civil law system with customary law |
| Official languages | Kirundi, French, English |
Key indicators
39.6% (44 of 111)Women in National Assembly (2025)
18 for girls, 21 for boysMinimum legal age of marriage (1993)
19% (3% before 15)Women married before 18
52.68World Bank WBL 2026 legal frameworks score (2026)
76.3World Bank WBL 2024 (WBL 1.0) score (2024)
Regional and international treaties
| Treaty | Status | Reservations or notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maputo Protocol | signed 03/12/2003 / not ratified (AU status list dated 19/09/2023) | |
| CEDAW | signed 17 July 1980 / ratified 8 January 1992 | None recorded in the sources consulted |
| CEDAW Optional Protocol | signed 13 November 2001 / not ratified | |
| African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child | signed 21/05/2004 / ratified 28/06/2004 / deposited 24/08/2004 | |
| ILO C190 (Violence and Harassment) | Not ratified (absent from 2026 ratification lists) | |
| ILO C100 (Equal Remuneration) | ratified 25 June 1993 | |
| ILO C111 (Discrimination, Employment and Occupation) | ratified 25 June 1993 | |
| ICCPR | acceded 9 May 1990 | |
| Kampala Convention | signed 23/10/2009 / not ratified | |
| AU Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection (Malabo) | No signature or ratification (AU status list dated 02/02/2026) | |
| Budapest Convention on Cybercrime | Not a party, signatory or invited State |
Constitution
| Quotas or parity | IPU Parline cites Article 164 of the 2004 Constitution and Articles 108 and 147 of the Electoral Law: one in four candidates on electoral lists must be a woman, and the electoral administration co-opts additional members if quotas are not met. |
|---|
National laws
Child marriage and age of marriage
Code des Personnes et de la Famille, 1993
Sets the minimum age of marriage at 18 for girls and 21 for boys; marriage below these ages is possible with a waiver from the provincial governor and parental consent.
Gaps: Unequal ages for girls and boys and an exception route below 18. Rape survivors are sometimes pushed into marriage as a settlement (Girls Not Brides).
Source: girlsnotbrides.org
Political participation and quotas
Electoral Law, Arts. 108 and 147; Constitution (IPU cites Art. 164 of the 2004 text); Electoral Code of April 2024
One in four list candidates must be a woman, with co-option of additional members if targets are missed. The April 2024 Electoral Code raised candidate registration fees and imposed a two-year waiting period on people leaving a party.
Gaps: Opposition candidates were barred in 2025 and the ruling party won all seats (Human Rights Watch).
Source: data.ipu.org
Same-sex relations
Penal Code, Article 590
Criminalises same-sex relations with up to two years’ imprisonment.
Source: hrw.org
Gender-based and domestic violence
Loi n°1/13 du 22 septembre 2016 portant prévention, protection des victimes et répression des violences basées sur le genre
Comprehensive law that defines gender-based violence and provides support measures for victims. It punishes perpetrators, including for domestic violence.
Gaps: Implementation remains weak and some provisions conflict with the 2017 Penal Code; UN experts asked for repeal of the provisions on incitement through indecent attire and on false accusations.
Source: coi.euaa.europa.eu
Gender-based and domestic violence
Loi n°1/27 du 29 décembre 2017 portant révision du Code pénal, articles 558 à 560
The Penal Code criminalises domestic violence.
Gaps: There is no specific provision on femicide.
Source: worldbank.org
Rape and sexual offences
Loi n°1/13 du 22 septembre 2016 portant prévention, protection des victimes et répression des violences basées sur le genre (rape provisions)
Contains a consent-based definition of rape.
Gaps: The definition of rape differs from the one in the 2017 Penal Code and should be harmonised.
Source: coi.euaa.europa.eu
Sexual harassment
Loi n°1/27 du 29 décembre 2017 portant révision du Code pénal, article 586
Criminalises sexual harassment, which is also defined in article 2(n) of the 2016 gender-based violence law.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Sexual harassment
Loi n°1/11 du 24 novembre 2020 portant révision du Code du travail du Burundi, article 22
Prohibits sexual harassment in employment and provides civil remedies.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Harmful practices
Loi n°1/13 du 22 septembre 2016 portant prévention, protection des victimes et répression des violences basées sur le genre
Prohibits harmful traditional practices against women and girls.
Gaps: Implementation of the law to prevent violence remains insufficient.
Source: coi.euaa.europa.eu
Child marriage and age of marriage
Loi n°1/13 du 22 septembre 2016 portant prévention, protection des victimes et répression des violences basées sur le genre, article 44
Adds criminal protection against child marriage alongside the minimum age set in the Code des personnes et de la famille.
Source: worldbank.org
Family and personal status
Loi n°1/024 du 28 avril 1993 portant réforme du Code des personnes et de la famille, articles 102, 122, 124 et 158
A married woman can choose her residence and has equal access to divorce. The code contains no obedience clause.
Gaps: The husband remains head of household and remarriage rules differ for women.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Inheritance and succession
Code civil, Ordonnance du 14 mai 1886, article 1 (no written succession law)
In the absence of a written law on succession, inheritance is governed by custom under this colonial-era provision.
Gaps: Daughters and surviving wives do not have equal inheritance rights with sons and husbands.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Land and property
Loi n°1/13 du 9 août 2011 portant révision du Code foncier du Burundi, articles 12 et 16
Governs land ownership and registration; together with article 126 of the family code it supports equal ownership and administration of property by spouses.
Gaps: Women’s access to land is limited in practice by the lack of inheritance rights under custom.
Source: worldbank.org
Labour and maternity
Loi n°1/11 du 24 novembre 2020 portant révision du Code du travail du Burundi, articles 14, 109, 110 et 184
Prohibits gender discrimination in employment, requires equal pay for work of equal value, provides paid maternity leave and prohibits dismissal of pregnant workers.
Gaps: Maternity leave is shorter than 14 weeks and there is no paid parental leave.
Source: wbl.worldbank.org
Social protection
Loi n°1/12 du 12 mai 2020 portant Code de la protection sociale au Burundi
Framework law on social protection that sets procedures to challenge benefit decisions; the social security code sets equal retirement ages for women and men.
Gaps: Periods of absence for childcare are not credited toward pensions.
Source: worldbank.org
Nationality
Loi n°1/013 du 18 juillet 2000 portant réforme du Code de la nationalité, articles 2, 4 et 10
Governs acquisition and transmission of Burundian nationality.
Gaps: Women do not have the same rights as men to confer nationality on their spouses and children.
Source: worldbank.org
Trafficking
Loi n°1/28 du 29 octobre 2014 portant prévention et répression de la traite des personnes et protection des victimes
Criminalises trafficking in persons and provides protection for victims.
Source: rf-efh.org
Access to justice and legal aid
Loi n°1/10 du 3 avril 2013 portant révision du Code de procédure pénale
Allows human rights associations with at least three years of existence to file complaints on behalf of victims of sexual violence.
Source: rf-efh.org
Access to justice and legal aid
Ordonnance ministérielle n°550/1622 du 19 novembre 2013
Establishes specialised chambers for minors and for victims of sexual violence within the courts.
Source: rf-efh.org
Civic space
| Notes | UN experts documented 892 arbitrary detentions, 605 extrajudicial killings, 62 cases of torture and 58 enforced disappearances between January 2024 and May 2025. On 5 May 2025 the National Assembly replaced members of the National Human Rights Commission before their terms ended, contrary to the Paris Principles. |
|---|
Recent developments
- December 2025. UN finding that disbarring lawyers and appropriating property in Burundi were reprisals.
- September 2025. Police and the ruling party’s youth wing detained hundreds of Congolese refugees and forced returns to Congo.
- 5 June 2025. Legislative and commune elections; the ruling CNDD-FDD won 96.5% of votes and all National Assembly seats.
- 5 May 2025. National Assembly replaced National Human Rights Commission members before the end of their terms.
- April 2024. New Electoral Code raised candidate fees and imposed a two-year waiting period for people leaving a party.
Reforms recommended
Reforms recommended by the African Commission, UN treaty bodies or national organisations, as reported in the sources below.
- Ratify the Maputo Protocol (signed 2003) and the Kampala Convention (signed 2009).
- Set 18 as the minimum marriage age for both sexes with no waivers, and end forced marriage of rape survivors (Girls Not Brides).
- Restore the independence of the National Human Rights Commission in line with the Paris Principles (Human Rights Watch).
- Release imprisoned journalists and allow exiled human rights organisations to operate (Human Rights Watch).
- Repeal Article 590 of the Penal Code criminalising same-sex relations.
Being verified. RFLD is checking the laws on the following topics against official texts and will add them to this page: female genital mutilation, abortion and sexual and reproductive health, girls’ education, online violence and cybercrime, data protection, older persons, women and girls with disabilities, human rights defenders. Corrections and documents are welcome at programs@rflgd.org.
African Union treaties
Status of 29 African Union treaties as recorded in the official AU status lists published by the African Union Commission. The date of each list is shown: a ratification deposited after that date may not appear yet. 8 of the 13 human rights and governance treaties below are ratified.
Other AU treaties (16)
Sources (22)
- data.ipu.org · data on women
- girlsnotbrides.org · burundi
- documents1.worldbank.org · P179153 156eebab c7a8 46ea aefa ab7ca80708a0
- wbl.worldbank.org · WBL2024 Economy Scores
- au.int · 37077 sl PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEO…
- treaties.un.org · ViewDetails
- treaties.un.org · iv 8 b.en
- au.int · 36804 sl AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS AND WELFARE OF THE…
- ntucphl.org · article 3
- hrlibrary.umn.edu · ratification burundi
- treaties.un.org · iv 4.en
- au.int · 36846 sl AFRICAN UNION CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION AND …
- au.int · 29560 sl AFRICAN UNION CONVENTION ON CYBER SECURITY AND P…
- coe.int · parties observers
- hrw.org · burundi
- hrw.org · burundi elections without opposition
- hrw.org · bye bye arusha accords as burundi solidifies one party rule
- ohchr.org · burundi
- coi.euaa.europa.eu · EUAA COI Query Response: Burundi, situation of women, 2025
- worldbank.org · Women, Business and the Law 2.0 pilot: Burundi
- wbl.worldbank.org · Women, Business and the Law 2024: Burundi
- rf-efh.org · Réseau francophone pour l’égalité femme-homme, fiche Burundi
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Information verified as of October 2026. This page is for information and advocacy and is not legal advice. Laws change: check the official text before relying on it. Part of the DƆNÙESÈ Data Center of the Women Leaders Network for Development (RFLD). See also the Maputo Protocol Hub and the Maputo Barometer.